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mS 


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is 


SSS 55 


<a 


| RecdJUN 1913 


rs. Judson’s Story 
of Her Arrival 


in Burma 


ANN HASSELTINE JUDSON 

JUDSON DAY ) 

JULY 13, 1913 7 
1813 | POLS oh heaatee 


JUDSON DAY, JULY 13 


WAZAPTIST young people will hear with interest the .read- 
by @ 4} ing of the following letter from Mrs. Ann Hasseltine 


Mrs. Judson was then but twenty-three years old. 


‘““Rangoon, July 30, 1813. 

“We stayed at Madras only a fortnight when we embarked on 
board a Portuguese vessel for this place. I had procured a Euro- 
pean woman-servant to go with us, as it was not thought prudent 
to go without one. She went on board two days before us and 
when we went on board she appeared in perfect health. We had 
but just entered the ship when she fell on the floor, apparently in a 
fit. We made every possible effort to recover her but she gasped 
a few times and died. ‘The exertion I made to recover her, to- 
gether with the shock my frame and feelings received at her sudden 
decease, brought me also near the gates of death. I indeed thought 
the time of my departure was at hand and that all my toils and 
perplexities were ended. I had no physician, no medicine, no 
attendant but Mr. Judson. Added to this, we were in a small, 
dirty vessel which was kept in continual motion by the violence of 
the wind and sea. Perfect ease and quiet seemed absolutely 
necessary for my recovery, but these it appeared impossible to 
obtain. But all things are possible with God, and we were never so 
sensible of his care and protection as at this time. 

“In the midst of our darkness and distress and when we had 
given up all hope of my recovery, our captain informed us that we 
were close to the Andaman Islands, and that we could escape 
being driven on them in no way but by going through a narrow 
channel between two of them. We were in much danger but the 
vessel was almost perfectly still, as we were in smooth water as 
soon as we entered the channel, the wind being broken by the 
islands. ‘Thus I obtained that ease and quiet which a few moments 


before seemed impossible to obtain. We were three weeks on our 
passage, and when we arrived I was not able to walk, nor had I 
even left my bed for half an hour. ... We felt very gloomy and 
dejected the first night we arrived, in view of our prospects; but 
we were enabled to lean on God, and to feel that he was able to 
support us under the most discouraging circumstances. ‘The next 
morning I prepared to go on shore but hardly knew how I should 
get to Mr. Carey’s house, as'there was no method of conveyance 
except a horse which I was unable to ride. It was, however, con- 
cluded that I should be carried in an armchair; consequently, 
when I landed one was provided, through which were put two 
bamboos, and four of the natives took me on their shoulders. 
When they had carried me a little way into the town they set me 
down under a shade, when great numbers of the natives gathered 
around, as they had seldom seen an English female. Being sick 
and weak I held my head down, which induced many of the 
native females to come very near and look under my bonnet. At 
this I looked up and smiled, at which they set up a loud laugh. 
They again took me up to carry and the multitude of natives gave 
a shout which much diverted us. ‘They next carried me to a place 
they call the custom-house. It was a small open shed in which 
were seated on mats several natives, who were the custom-house 
officers. After searching Mr. Judson very closely, they asked 
liberty for a native female to search me, to which I readily con- 
sented. I was then brought to the mission house, where I have 


entirely recovered my health.” 


DEPARTMENT OF Missionary EDUCATION 
Forp Buitpinc, Boston 


1018-10M. May, 1913. 


